1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to applique enhanced finishing covers for interior components of vehicles in which an air bag restraint is stored. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved applique for finishing covers having a discrete air bag door tear seam therein which is retained and hidden by the applique secured on the component. In this invention, the cover pulls away from the applique starting from the tear seam that forms a free edge of air bag door on air bag deployment.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior to the present invention various finishing covers have been provided for interior components such as instrument panels and steering wheels of automotive vehicles, which overlie air bags in their stored position. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,564 issued Mar 18, 1997 for "Method and Treatment for Forming an Air Bag Deployment opening in Leather Covered Trim", a pretreatment for decorative leather in an automotive trim piece produces an effective pre-weakening of the leather so that it can be readily severed by the forced opening of an underlying hinged door panel from a deploying air bag.
Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,557 issued Jan. 30, 1996 for "Air Bag Cover Having an Applique Fastened Thereto and Method of Manufacturing Same", an automotive air bag cover is provided with an air bag tear seam and a decorative fastened thereto. The cover encloses a stored and collapsed air bag. The decorative applique is fastened to the front cover adjacent the tear seam therein in a non-overlapping fashion such that the decorative applique does not interfere with the egress of the inflating air bag from the cover.
While these and other prior disclosures provide various arrangements for covering air bags in their stored condition and allow for subsequent air bag deployment, they do not disclose or suggest any applique for effectively holding a finishing cover in position or releasably retaining and concealing the tear seam of the cover for augmenting air bag deployment as in the present invention.